Teratornis (ancient animal) Stork buzzard (future animal)VultureVultures (Aegypius monachus) are large birds that feed off from dead animals when hunting. There are two different groups of vultures: old world vulture and new world vulture. Old world vultures means the vultures that are living in the earth's eastern hemisphere: Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. New world vultures means the vulture that are living in the earth's western hemisphere: North America and South America.
Old world vultures are not related to new world vulture, as they don't have a good sense of smell. Old World vultures usually live in the areas of Africa and Asia. There are many different sizes of old world vultures, varying from hooded vultures to Africa white-backed vulture. For the shelter, they build nests that are made from sticks and leaves and are built on trees and cliffs. These nests can be used for several years.
In the new world vultures group, there are seven species in five genera. Out of all seven species, all are monotypic, except for one. They all live in the North America or in the southern tip of South America. They are known for great sight and good soaring ability. New World Vultures vary from size, from the lesser yellow-headed vulture to the Andean condor.
Turkey Vulture - The Modern Animal Turkey Vulture
Binominial name: Cathartes aura
Kingdom
Animalia
Species
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Incertae sedis
Family
Cathartidae
Genus
Cathartes
Species
C. aura
The Turkey Vulture is a bird that is part of the New World Vultures and is found the Americas, ranging from the southern part of Canada to the southernmost tip in South America. Its wingspan is 170-183cm and a length of 64-81cm. The weight of the Turkey Vulture is 0.85 to 2.26 kg.
This vulture has a purplish-red head, dark brown plumage, with a two-toned under-wings (silver flight feathers with black wing-linings). Not only that, they also have white bills.Juveniles (baby vultures) have grey heads and the newly hatched juveniles have black heads. Their feet are weak and their grasping skills are poor. When flying, their tale are slim and long, comparing to the tail of the Black Vulture. The maximum age of the Turkey Vulture is twenty-one years of age. But according to the Gabbert Raptor Center in the University of Minnesota campus, there is a Turkey Vulture named Nero, who is 34 years old.
Name:
The scientific name comes from the Greek word kathares, meaning a cleanser. It also refers to the hunting nature of the vulture.Aurouรก, is a Latinized word in which the Mexcian Indians gave to the vultures. Part of the name, 'Turkey', comes from the common Turkey because the red, featherless heads are quite similar.The word 'vulture' comes from a Latin Word vulturous, which means 'tearer'. There are other names which the Turkey Vultures are called: Buzzards, Red-necked Buzzards, Carrion Crows, and John Crow.
Labelled Diagram:
Habitat:
Turkey Vultures live in many different places across the Americas. They live in deserts, savannas, grasslands, tropical and temperate forests. They are mostly found in open country, especially in the rocky or wooded areas. Cliffs, dry forests, or outcroppings are the perfect place to provide nesting sites and the open areas are good for hunting habitats. It is estimated that the global occurence of the Turkey Vulture is about 28 million square kilometers.
Since the Turkey Vulture flies all over the Americas, they do different activities around the place. For instance, they breed from southern British Columbia to central Saskatchewan and the Great Lakes in Canada. Not only that, they also breed in New Hampshire southward in the United States. During the winter, they like to live in the Southwest and eastern United States to southern New England (States such as New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island).
A map of where the Turkey Vulture lives (yellow - summer only range & green - the year round range)
A desert where the Turkey Vultures live
Adaptations: Behavioral Adaptation 1 - Hunting/Feeding Since vultures are known for their practice for feeding and hunting on dead animals carcasses, they will also sometimes attack young and incapable animals. They gather as much water from the moisture of the carrion, and their strong kidneys help them to excrete less water when getting out water products. When their soaring flights are low, they use their sight and their acute sense of smell to find food. Their acute sense of smell is quite good when it comes of hunting. When the Turkey Vulture is flying across the land to search for food, they usually sense the odor of the carcasses. The food that they usually eat are parts of dead animals, birds, fish, and amphibians. There were two studies showing Turkey Vultures eating pumpkin and coconuts. Some animals that the Turkey Vulture eats are the jackal, wolves, Boa Constrictor, and large cats.
Behavioral Adaptation 2 - Vomiting Vomiting is an important form of defense, which they can throw vomit in a distance of 10 feet. They would cough out a lump of partially digested meat, this causes a foul smell. Therefore, creatures who are planning to raid a vulture nest would go away. If the animals go very closely to the vomit, it will sting its face or eyes. Sometimes, the vulture must free themselves from their heavy, undigested meat, so they would get eaten or get injured from their predator.
Structural Adaptation 1 - Feet Their foot is usually have small webs at their bases and their two front toes are quite long. The colour of the feet are usually pink, although sometimes it's stained white. Not only are their foot are quite long. Their tracks are big, between 9.5cm to 14cm in length and 8.2-10.2cm in width. These measurements include claw marks. Their toes are arranged in a anisodactyl pattern. Their feet are flat, and are quite weak. Therefore, they are poorly designed to grasping and cannot grab objects and animals when flying through mid-air. An animation of a footprint of the Turkey Vulture
Structural Adaptation 2 - Featherless Head The featherless head of the Stork Buzzard provides the vulture to dig deep in the carcasses without getting the meat all over their feathers. If they had feathers on their heads, it would be very hard to clean it. Not only that, it could cause infection and could cause unhealthy or stunted feather growth at molt. Even with a featherless head, they can still get small bits of meat on their head. To solve that problem, they rest with the heat shining on their head. After a few hours, the few bits of meat will be baked off forever and their head will be clean. The head of a Turkey Vulture Physiological Adaption - Smell
The nose of a Turkey Vulture provides a high sense of smell. At the beginning of decay, there are gas being produced. Therefore, vultures are being attracted to the scent of mercaptan (which smells like rotten cabbage). The vultures usually pick this scent up quickly at the first 24 hours of the decay. With this, they can find more carrion and they can find more food. Not only that, they can also smell animals that are hidden from sight.
The bone structure of the Turkey Vulture's head. The nose is clearly seen. Links:
Stork buzzard (future animal)VultureVultures (Aegypius monachus) are large birds that feed off from dead animals when hunting. There are two different groups of vultures: old world vulture and new world vulture. Old world vultures means the vultures that are living in the earth's eastern hemisphere: Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. New world vultures means the vulture that are living in the earth's western hemisphere: North America and South America.
Old world vultures are not related to new world vulture, as they don't have a good sense of smell. Old World vultures usually live in the areas of Africa and Asia. There are many different sizes of old world vultures, varying from hooded vultures to Africa white-backed vulture. For the shelter, they build nests that are made from sticks and leaves and are built on trees and cliffs. These nests can be used for several years.
In the new world vultures group, there are seven species in five genera. Out of all seven species, all are monotypic, except for one. They all live in the North America or in the southern tip of South America. They are known for great sight and good soaring ability. New World Vultures vary from size, from the lesser yellow-headed vulture to the Andean condor.
Turkey Vulture - The Modern Animal
Binominial name: Cathartes aura
This vulture has a purplish-red head, dark brown plumage, with a two-toned under-wings (silver flight feathers with black wing-linings). Not only that, they also have white bills.Juveniles (baby vultures) have grey heads and the newly hatched juveniles have black heads. Their feet are weak and their grasping skills are poor. When flying, their tale are slim and long, comparing to the tail of the Black Vulture. The maximum age of the Turkey Vulture is twenty-one years of age. But according to the Gabbert Raptor Center in the University of Minnesota campus, there is a Turkey Vulture named Nero, who is 34 years old.
Name:
The scientific name comes from the Greek word kathares, meaning a cleanser. It also refers to the hunting nature of the vulture.Aurouรก, is a Latinized word in which the Mexcian Indians gave to the vultures. Part of the name, 'Turkey', comes from the common Turkey because the red, featherless heads are quite similar.The word 'vulture' comes from a Latin Word vulturous, which means 'tearer'. There are other names which the Turkey Vultures are called: Buzzards, Red-necked Buzzards, Carrion Crows, and John Crow.
Labelled Diagram:
Habitat:
Turkey Vultures live in many different places across the Americas. They live in deserts, savannas, grasslands, tropical and temperate forests. They are mostly found in open country, especially in the rocky or wooded areas. Cliffs, dry forests, or outcroppings are the perfect place to provide nesting sites and the open areas are good for hunting habitats. It is estimated that the global occurence of the Turkey Vulture is about 28 million square kilometers.
Since the Turkey Vulture flies all over the Americas, they do different activities around the place. For instance, they breed from southern British Columbia to central Saskatchewan and the Great Lakes in Canada. Not only that, they also breed in New Hampshire southward in the United States. During the winter, they like to live in the Southwest and eastern United States to southern New England (States such as New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island).
A map of where the Turkey Vulture lives (yellow - summer only range & green - the year round range)
A desert where the Turkey Vultures live
Adaptations:
Behavioral Adaptation 1 - Hunting/Feeding
Since vultures are known for their practice for feeding and hunting on dead animals carcasses, they will also sometimes attack young and incapable animals. They gather as much water from the moisture of the carrion, and their strong kidneys help them to excrete less water when getting out water products. When their soaring flights are low, they use their sight and their acute sense of smell to find food. Their acute sense of smell is quite good when it comes of hunting. When the Turkey Vulture is flying across the land to search for food, they usually sense the odor of the carcasses. The food that they usually eat are parts of dead animals, birds, fish, and amphibians. There were two studies showing Turkey Vultures eating pumpkin and coconuts. Some animals that the Turkey Vulture eats are the jackal, wolves, Boa Constrictor, and large cats.
Behavioral Adaptation 2 - Vomiting
Vomiting is an important form of defense, which they can throw vomit in a distance of 10 feet. They would cough out a lump of partially digested meat, this causes a foul smell. Therefore, creatures who are planning to raid a vulture nest would go away. If the animals go very closely to the vomit, it will sting its face or eyes. Sometimes, the vulture must free themselves from their heavy, undigested meat, so they would get eaten or get injured from their predator.
Structural Adaptation 1 - Feet
Their foot is usually have small webs at their bases and their two front toes are quite long. The colour of the feet are usually pink, although sometimes it's stained white. Not only are their foot are quite long. Their tracks are big, between 9.5cm to 14cm in length and 8.2-10.2cm in width. These measurements include claw marks. Their toes are arranged in a anisodactyl pattern. Their feet are flat, and are quite weak. Therefore, they are poorly designed to grasping and cannot grab objects and animals when flying through mid-air.
Structural Adaptation 2 - Featherless Head
The featherless head of the Stork Buzzard provides the vulture to dig deep in the carcasses without getting the meat all over their feathers. If they had feathers on their heads, it would be very hard to clean it. Not only that, it could cause infection and could cause unhealthy or stunted feather growth at molt. Even with a featherless head, they can still get small bits of meat on their head. To solve that problem, they rest with the heat shining on their head. After a few hours, the few bits of meat will be baked off forever and their head will be clean.
Physiological Adaption - Smell
The nose of a Turkey Vulture provides a high sense of smell. At the beginning of decay, there are gas being produced. Therefore, vultures are being attracted to the scent of mercaptan (which smells like rotten cabbage). The vultures usually pick this scent up quickly at the first 24 hours of the decay. With this, they can find more carrion and they can find more food. Not only that, they can also smell animals that are hidden from sight.
The bone structure of the Turkey Vulture's head. The nose is clearly seen.
Links: